Transition, Long-Distance Friendship, & the Blessings of God
When I moved to Lancaster, California, in 1986, there was a teenage boy who helped us move and unload our truck. His name was Cary Schmidt. Brother Schmidt literally was a part of our family in those early days and, while we greatly missed him during his time at Bible...
Romans 13 in Action
The Bible instructs in Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” This week the Lord gave us a special opportunity to encourage some of our national leaders and let them...Growth Points 28: Wise Leaders Wait
Patience is not my strongest virtue. But there are areas in which church leaders cannot afford to be impatient. When it comes to knowing when it is time to begin a new building program, hire a staff member, launch a new ministry, and a hundred other decisions, we need...
Why You Need a New Members Class: and what to teach
Every few months I have the privilege to teach a three-week newcomers class at our church. I relish this time with our new and prospective members, and I’ve found that they thoroughly enjoy it as well. In the earliest days of our church, our new members orientation...
The Truth about Joy in Ministry
Jesus must have been the most joyful person ever. Psalm 45:7 says of Him, “…thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Although a “man of sorrows, and aquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3), Jesus had a sustaining joy in His spirit. As...
7 Practices to Balance Your Schedule
Developing balance is an ongoing pursuit in the life and heart of every spiritual leader. In fact, it’s been a quest in my life and ministry for over thirty years. I definitely have not arrived, but here are a few guidelines that I have tried to practice in balancing...
Professional Backslappers
You know them—they slap your back and say an encouraging word…without really pausing to hear how you’re doing or if you actually need encouragement or maybe a listening ear. That’s annoying, but the worst problem with a professional backslapper is not what they do,...
The Ministry Multiplier You Forgot
One word: encouragement. It’s true. There are few tools that have the power to multiply your ministry like encouragement. Soulwinning and evangelism is the main thing. Discipleship is no less important. And encouragement is indispensable for both. As a Christian, my...
8 Ministry Lessons I’ve Learned
Here are eight miscellaneous bits of advice for anyone involved in local church ministry. Don’t try to build a great church; purpose to build great people. My goal has never been to build a large church, but to grow and edify people. Numeric growth doesn’t always...
The Resilient Life
Overcome the Crises and Anxieties of Life through Christ
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Pastor Paul Chappell
Dr. Paul Chappell is the senior pastor of the Lancaster Baptist Church and president of West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California. His biblical vision has led the church to become one of the most dynamic independent Baptist churches in the nation. He has been married to his wife, Terrie, for over forty years and is the father of four married children all serving in Christian ministry.
